Over 500 septic tank failures in Mayo between 2013 - 2023

OVER 500 septic tanks in Mayo failed inspections over the last 10 years.

For the period 2013 - '23, some 506 domestic waste water systems in the county failed, with 73% of them fixed during that period.

Fifty-six septic tanks were inspected in Mayo last year.

The figures are revealed in an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report on Domestic Waste Water Treatment System Inspections 2023, which details the findings of septic tank inspections completed by local authorities last year.

Of the 1,189 septic tanks inspected nationally, 45 per cent (532) failed because they were not built or maintained properly.

There are nearly half a million domestic waste water treatment systems, mostly septic tanks, in Ireland. The EPA’s National Inspection Plan 2022-2026 has identified the number of inspections that need to be completed, particularly near rivers and in areas where septic tanks are co-located with household drinking water wells.

Mayo County Council was set a target of 53 last year and conducted 56 inspections.

Commenting on the report, Dr. Tom Ryan, director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement, said: “Faulty septic tanks are a risk to human health and the environment and must be fixed. The EPA, through the National Inspection Plan, has identified rivers and areas where household drinking water wells are most at risk of contamination by faulty septic tanks. Local authority inspections are targeted in these areas.

"It is critical that householders protect their family’s health and the environment by fixing the problems identified, drawing on the enhanced grants now available.”

Where septic tanks fail inspection, local authorities issue advisory notices to householders setting out what is required to fix the problem. The EPA report found that there were 576 cases where issues notified to householders over two years previously had still not been addressed.

The grant schemes for remediation of septic tanks were changed at the start of 2024 to increase the amount from €5,000 to €12,000 and remove the requirement to have registered the septic tank in 2013. This presents a significant opportunity for householders to fix their septic tanks.

Noel Byrne, EPA programme manager, said: “It is unacceptable that the number septic tanks left un-fixed for more than two years continues to rise. Greater enforcement is needed by local authorities to ensure failed systems are fixed.

“Where faulty septic tanks are not being fixed, particularly given the availability of the enhanced grant scheme, local authorities need to use their enforcement powers to protect the environment and public health.”